These pictures are of the many sad memorials erected by friends & family to honor murder and other violence victims in the Washington DC area. These spontaneous, homemade, heartfelt creations are found on streets throughout the region. They are often the only physical tribute to the many slaying victims.
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Thursday, December 31, 2015

This scrap of police crime tape is all that lingers as public evidence of the triple murder of Lakeysha Walters, Shaneka Walters, and James Gibson, who were slain near this site in Oxon Hill, Maryland, on November 13, 2015.

From a Washington Post article: A woman, her daughter and another man were shot in this domestic-related triple homicide. Two women and a man were fatally shot in an apartment in Oxon Hill late Friday in what was thought to be a domestic dispute, Prince George’s County police said.
Police said Clifford John Browne Jr., 34, of Capitol Heights was charged in the deaths of Lakeysha Walters, 40; her daughter Shaneka Walters, 25; and James Gibson, 45. It was not clear what the relationship was between the suspect and the three victims. Gibson’s relationship to the two women also was not immediately clear. The victims were found about 10:20 p.m. Friday in an apartment in the 1400 block of Southern Avenue, the site of the Forest Hill Apartments complex. The apartments are across from the United Medical Center on the District line.

From a DC Police report: Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a homicide that occurred in the 1000 block of Savannah Street SE, Washington DC, on Monday, December 28, 2015. At approximately 8:20 pm, members of the Seventh District responded to the report of the sounds of gunshots. Upon arrival, they located an adult male suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. DCFEMS members arrived on the scene and found no signs of life. The decedent has been identified as Kevin Dennis Prater, 31, of no fixed address.

I spoke at length to an interesting concerned person when documenting this site. The author/activist J.A. Lesesne Bnjhmm grew up in the home adjacent to where the slaying occurred. His aged mother still lives in the house, a community of largely resident-owned single-family residences. Needless to say, this sad and terrible violent act has an impact that reverberates.

From a DC Police report: Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a homicide that occurred in the 2300 block of Hartford Street SE, Washington DC, on Monday, December 28, 2015. At approximately 5:39 pm, members of the Seventh District responded to the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they located an adult male suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. DCFEMS transported the victim, identified as Darnell Antonio Mayfield, 34, to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

From a DC Police report: Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a fatal stabbing that occurred in the 4100 block of 8th Street NW, Washington DC, on Sunday, December 20, 2015. At approximately 5:20 pm, members of the Fourth District responded to a call for a man down. Upon arrival, they located a male victim, unconscious, and suffering from stab wounds. D.C. Fire and Emergency Services responded to the scene and transported the victim, identified as Jose Ochoa, 17, to a local hospital, where all lifesaving efforts failed.

From aDC Police report: Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a homicide that occurred in the 4700 block of 1st Street SW, Washington DC, on Tuesday, December 15, 2015. At approximately 2:51 pm, members of the Seventh District were flagged down in reference to a shooting. Upon arrival, they located an adult male, unconscious, and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. D.C. Fire and Emergency Services responded to the scene and transported the victim, identified as Arthur Baldwin, 30, to a local hospital, where all lifesaving efforts failed.

I found the police tape in the woods of the road at this area, the southernmost neighborhood of the District. I am not sure if the flowers are placed in memory of Mr. Baldwin, but they were directly adjacent to the site of his slaying.

From a DC police report: Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a homicide that resulted from a shooting that occurred in the 1900 block of Bennett Place NE, Washington DC, on Thursday, December 10, 2015, at approximately 1:37 pm. Members of the Fifth District responded to a call for a shooting. Upon arrival, they located an adult male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment where on Thursday, December 17, 2015, the victim, identified as Charles Mayo, 53, succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

This somewhat unusual memorial creation to Mr. Mayo is in what had been a reasonably quiet neighborhood in the past. Unfortunately, there have been three homicides within a two block area in the recent months.